Emergency aid

On Wednesday 26 January 2016 the standing committee on Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation had a debate with Ms Lilianne Ploumen, minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, about emergency aid to Syrian refugees.

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The Netherlands' policy on humanitarian aid

Airplane with relief goods. In 2014 a cargo plane of the Royal Dutch Airforce flew relief goods to Abril in North Iraq.

The Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (Inspectie Ontwikkelingssamenwerking en Beleidsevaluatie - IOB) of the ministry of Foreign Affairs has evaluated the Netherlands' policy on humanitarian aid. The IOB has monitored the implementation of this policy between 2009 and 2014: how was the amount of 1.6 billion euros spent and what were the results? The IOB has also made proposals to improve the provision of emergency aid and examined the role the Netherlands can play in this. Accounting for the spending of the money by the UN in particular leaves room for improvement. The Netherlands should exercise closer supervision and make available sufficient manpower to do so.

Spending on emergency aid in 2015 and plans for 2016

In 2015 the Netherlands spent 535 million euros on emergency aid. The worldwide increase in the demand for aid caused this rise compared to 2014 (when 329 million euros was spent). The demand for aid will remain unchanged in 2016. That is why the Cabinet expects it has to spend considerably more money on emergency aid in 2016. Minister Ploumen estimates this extra amount at 200 million euros, in addition to the already allocated 205 million budget.

Yemen, Syria and Iraq

After the IOB evaluation period the Cabinet has allocated extra money for emergency aid to the Yemen, the Syrian region and Iraq. Due to the long duration and the magnitude of the crises in these countries the United Nations (UN) is facing an acute lack of funds. That is why minister Ploumen allocated an additional 10 million euros for emergency aid to the Yemen in August 2015.

In August 2015, the minister made available 48.5 million euros for the crises in the Syrian region and Iraq, and another 110 million euros in September in favour of the emergency aid provided by the UN and the International Red Cross.